Reaction to Opencast High Court decision

Labour's Scott Dickinson, county councillor for the Druridge Bay ward, said: "For us locally, this will be bittersweet, for those who secure employment and those who believe in the nature improvements will undoubtedly be pleased, for those who were against these plans they will no doubt be concerned and bitter about the judgment. I have always stayed out of the political football that some chose to seek with this application and maintained my position that whatever the outcome I would work with it and in the interests of the community I represent and bring a divided community together. Coun Dickinson also said the decision was "embarrassing for those who have done nothing but try to score political points' over the issue. He said: "I am concerned to see the judgment in terms of what the High Court Judge remarks as 'totally inadequate reasoning', only yesterday we see a newsletter given to residents by Anne-Marie Trevelyan [MP for the Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency] claiming to have prevented Druridge Bay Opencast rather than the application Highthorn Opencast. "Today, we have the decision of the Secretary of State overturned and its all a little bit embarrassing for those who have done nothing but try to score political points. Clearly, those attempts to gain political points on a planning matter have spectacularly backfired and, in actual fact, caused more concern and issues locally. I think this judgment should be a warning to Northumberland County Council and MPs who are playing fast and loose with applications at present and appear to judge applications on political gain rather than planning law." https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/highthorn-decision-reaction-1-9459164